Thoughts on Compression and Developing Solid Picking Technique

[GraehmeFloyd]

I don’t know if this is the right place to post this, but one of the things I’ve experienced over the years when it comes to developing picking ability is the impact of compression.

Not necessarily using a Comp pedal, but the natural compression that different amps add when creating distortion/overdrive. The level of compression the amp adds can give you the impression that your picking technique is pretty good, when in fact it may be inconsistent.

In particular, I’ve found that some amps… (cough) Line6 (cough)…add boat-loads of compression right at the front end, even without any distortion. On the other hand, most tube amps tend to be pretty merciless when it comes to picking, add compression only when pushed hard.

I put together a video which touches on this concept and also gives some ideas of how to avoid this particular problem by practicing using three different guitar tones: Unplugged (Acoustic), a Clean tone, and a Distortion Tone.

Here is the video:

Please let me know what you think and feel free to share your thoughts or experiences when it comes to compression.

Cheers!

[ChrisX]

I don’t know if it is “compression” per se, but an issue with Line 6 modeling.

I’ve played the Helix (native) and the front end note attack sounds all wrong to me, BUT the thing is super easy to play. I noticed that legato and picked notes sound almost identical, even when you are playing a medium gain patch when you would not expect that. This “fakeness” is built into all of the models.

In my opinion, I think Line 6 models are junk and they are “idealized” versions of amps that simulate touch sensitivity and dynamics in unrealistic ways without respecting typical gain staging.

I think if someone “comes up” using a Helix they will gain a distorted view of their technique and control of dynamics.

Expanding on this concept, modelers can be “faster” in their response because they don’t have an actual speaker. Can have a much lower bass extension because speaker is not moving air. They might use IRs to gain the EQ and signature of a real speaker, but without having to actually breathe. Which means that there can be an articulate top end and loads of bass that would normally drown out the high end if played through a guitar amp/speaker.

The metal community has made use of this fact; the majority of that stuff would not work with real amps.

So this is not an issue of “compression”, but of digital modeling and playing things that might not work through a real amp.

[Drew]

@GraehmeFloyd

Not necessarily using a Comp pedal, but the natural compression that different amps add when creating distortion/overdrive. The level of compression the amp adds can give you the impression that your picking technique is pretty good, when in fact it may be inconsistent.

In particular, I’ve found that some amps… (cough) Line6 (cough)…add boat-loads of compression right at the front end, even without any distortion. On the other hand, most tube amps tend to be pretty merciless when it comes to picking, add compression only when pushed hard.

HUUUUUGE can o’ worms.

I’ll merely say that for me this comes down to a large part of how an amp “feels,” and the way notes bloom after you pick them, and yes, some modelers get this VERY wrong. Some also get it pretty right, though, and I think a lot of the risk, maybe, with modelers is it’s SO easy to create presets with compressor and EQ after compressor and EQ, and then add in the natural filtering of a modeled mic and cab, to take a raw tool that may sound pretty good on its own and turn it into something highly processed, same as it is with a massive tube-amp-based rack setup. With great power comes great responsibility.

I can’t speak to a Helix, but I’ve always thought that an AxeFX through a poweramp and cab and a pretty “stripped down” patch felt pretty amp-like to me. Less so when you’re adding in cab and mic emulation - it sounds like an excellent recorded tone at that point, but the feel becomes more “disconnected” somehow. Which, to be fair, is how I feel monitoring my amp through head phones when it’s miced up, so who knows, there may be a lot more going on here.

Anyway, I’ve spent my whole playing career under no illusion that my picking technique is pretty good, so there’s that.

EDIT - I’ll also say that the natural compression can vary hugely from one amp to the next as well, and if you’re very used to something with a relatively slow attack and some give to it, moving to something very tight and dry and immediate feels WEIRD. It’s why I hated Rectifiers for years, right up until I bought one.

[tommo]

I agree that different tones require different picking techniques, but in general I’d say “if it sounds good, it’s good”